Defrosting Cold Cases

The U.S. Supreme Court stopped the execution of condemned prisoner Hank Skinner about an hour before he could have been taken to the Texas death chamber. The brief order grants him the delay but does not ensure he will get such testing. The court order came as relatives of Busby were climbing the steps of the Huntsville prison to prepare to witness his punishment.

In the order, the justices said they would put off the execution until they decide whether to review his case. If the court refuses the review, the reprieve is lifted, according to the order, and that would make Skinner eligible for another execution date.

Skinner, in a small holding cell a few feet from the death chamber, expressed surprise when was informed of the reprieve in a phone call from his lawyer. Rob Owen, Skinner’s lead attorney and a University of Texas law professor, said the court action suggested the justices believed “there are important issues that require closer examination.”

“We remain hopeful that the court will agree to hear Mr. Skinner’s case and ultimately allow him the chance to prove his innocence through DNA testing,” he said.

Read more here.

Categories: Forensics, Miscarriages of Justice

Tags: Capital Punishment, Crime Scene, Death Row, DNA, Evidence, Expert Testimony, Forensics, Henry Skinner, Police, Prosecutorial Misconduct, Texas, Victim, Witnesses, Wrongful Convictions